Five Minutes to Seven

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1964

Production year

1963—1964

Premiere

5 March 1965

Runtime

73 min

Director

Pavel Hobl

Category

film

Genre

slapstick

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Za pět minut sedm

Czech title

Za pět minut sedm

English title

Five Minutes to Seven

Working title

Generál

Summary

Writer-director Pavel Hobl had a success in 1963 with the children’s comedy Máte doma lva? (Do You Keep a Lion at Home?). The following year, he looked to follow that up with Za pět minut sedm (Five Minutes to Seven), another fantasy feature for young people, but this time tinged with a moralising lesson on society. The narrative tells of Tonda and Radek, two members of the Pioneers (the favoured term of the socialist regime for the “scouts”) who regularly take care of the town hall glockenspiel. They have the conviction that the instrument is inseparably connected to the life of the town. Confirmation of this is at hand the moment that Richard, the pompous, deceitful son of a general, starts doing them harm. The boys’ fanciful, imaginative interests and activities even attract a television crew... and at the decisive moment, the glockenspiel does its magic. Only Tonda and Radek, and their friend Alžběta, know how to solve the situation... Looking at the theme of this motion picture, it is possible to detect a slight resemblance to Vojtěch Jasný’s parable Až přijde kocour (That Cat..., 1963). In the casting of the adults, František Filipovský was given the part of the school director, while Miloš Nesvadba was selected to play the eager teacher.

Synopsis

Every day at seven, the melody of chimes is heard from the town hall clock, attended to by two pioneers, Tonda and Radek. The two boys, along with their girlfriend Andělka, believe that the life of the little town is connected to the running of the clock. There is a newcomer to their class, Richard, son of General Hanousek, who has just moved to the town. Richard's behaviour does win him any friends - he is favoured only by a fawning teacher, and Richard, used to receiving such attention, acts like a swollen-headed functionary. As the pioneer's group chairman, he writes reports on its so-called "hobby activities" although, in fact, there is no such thing at the school. Upon the suggestion of the headmaster, Richard nevertheless writes an article about to the Pioneers' Review. His article attracts the interest of Czechoslovak television, who wants to film a more detailed account of the school. But before the announced TV crew arrives, the headmaster finds out that all the activities were only made-up by Richard. The situation can be saved only by another swindle. The headmaster organizes a feast at the main square and invites Richard's father to attend. People and pupils gather on the square, waiting for the headmaster's speech. Soon, it will be seven, and the town clock needs a wind-up. But the headmaster does not let Tonda and Radek leave, the clock stops and with it also stops the life of the whole town. Richard leaves with his father, who has been transferred. But everything still can be saved by the boys and Andělka, who are resistant to the magic.

Cast

František Filipovský

ředitel školy

Vladislav Dražďák

generál Hanousek

Jana Janovská

třídní učitelka Staňková

Naděžda Chmelařová

Hanouskova žena

Miloš Nesvadba

snaživý učitel

Jiří Vojta

řidič Franta

Miroslav Lang

muž z televize

Pavel Beránek

Richard, syn Hanouskových

Petr Kronďák

Tonda

Jaroslav Tomášek

Radek

Emil Karas

Venca

Jan Straširipka

Otík

Pavel Šoltys

Bohouš

Petr Vidlář

Kuba

Vilém Nazarov

chlapec

Bohouš Gaidoš

chlapec

Helena Lišková

dívka

Andrejka Vojtová

Andělka

Olga Machoninová

Milunka

Pavel Hobl

učitel

Gustav Fischel

učitel

Rudolf Kudrnáč

učitel

Miloš Švarc

učitel

Karel Vajnar

učitel

Jan Mikota

hráč šachů, muž s bradkou

Jiří Růžička st.

prodavač zeleniny

J. Juříček

Bezouška

Václav Klofát

Bengl

Čestmír Studna

Vachtrle

Jaroslav Toms

lepič plakátů

Crew and creators

Director

Pavel Hobl

Assistant Director

Jiří Růžička st., Jaroslav Toms, Jiří Minařík, Věra Manglová

Based on

Pavel Tumlíř (Za pět minut sedm – rozhlasová hra), Vladimír Príkazský (Za pět minut sedm – rozhlasová hra)

Shooting Script

Pavel Hobl

Director of Photography

Jiří Vojta

Second Unit Photography

Karel Dobřichovský

Camera Operator

Jiří Polák, Ladislav Vinklárek

Production Designer

Karel Lier

Assistent Production Designer

Libuše Jahodová

Art Director

Jan Brychta

Set Designer

Jaromír Dědek, Ivo Černý, Vladimír Mácha

Costume Designer

Jan Brychta

Assistant Film Editor

Helena Lehovcová

Sound Designer

Jiří Pavlík, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)

Special Effects

Karel Dobřichovský, Jiří Polák, Ladislav Vinklárek, Jiří Vojta

Production Manager

Ladislav Kalaš

Unit Production Manager

Adolf Široký, Josef Mathauser

Unit Production Manager

Vlasta Mathauserová

Cooperation

Josef Janoušek (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Karel Krautgartner

Selected Music

Johann Strauss (Radeckého pochod /Radetzky-Marsch/)

Music Performed by

Jazzový orchestr Československého rozhlasu (Music Conducted by Karel Krautgartner)

Songs

U panského dvora

Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics František Jaroslav Vacek-Kamenický
Singer dětský sbor

Production info

Original Title

Za pět minut sedm

Czech Title

Za pět minut sedm

English Title

Five Minutes to Seven

Working Title

Generál

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

slapstick

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1964

Production Year

1963—1964

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 28 August 1963
technical Screenplay approved 17 October 1963
start of filming 18 November 1963
end of filming 29 June 1964
projection approval 23 November 1964
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1973

Premiere

preview 19 February 1965 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 5 March 1965 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Švabík – Procházka, Jan Procházka (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Erich Švabík (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

73 min

Original length in metres

2 069 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech